Membership

Membership Renewals
Membership in The American Legion is based on a calendar year from January 1st to December 31st. When a member pays their dues, they are paid up for that membership year. They will also receive twelve monthly subscriptions to The American Legion Magazine.

The renewal process begins in July for the upcoming membership year. Renewal notices are sent out in July, October, January, March and May. When a member renews, they are removed from future renewal notices for that year. There are times when a member pays their dues, but they still receive a renewal notice. Since dues are paid to the local post, it takes a little longer for national to be notified about the renewal and the member may receive another renewal notice. If this occurs, please check with your local post to ensure they have received your dues.

Post Development & Revitalization
Post development and revitalization (PD&R) is a way for The American Legion to reassert itself into the local community. The 21st Century Report states there should be an American Legion post near every high school and we are trying to meet this challenge. If there are communities that do not have a post within it, post development is a great way for The American Legion to become an asset in the local community. There are times when membership in a local post has declined and interest in the programs is non-existent. A revitalization effort can help reenergize and breathe life back into a post so the post can become viable once again.

Did you ever stop to think what an active American Legion Post means to a community or a neighborhood? Or how much veterans and young people are being shortchanged if there isn’t one? No service officer to help with claims, or hospitalization, or death benefits. No high school students at Boys State or participating in the Oratorical Contest. No distribution of “Need a Lift” to high schools and libraries. No American Legion Baseball teams. Most importantly, no place for veterans to make themselves heard.

The membership staff at the National Headquarters, with the help of department leadership, can help with any post development and revitalization efforts. Whether it is providing timelines and material or actually being on the ground to train and conduct the development and revitalization effort, we are here to assist in those endeavors. If you feel there are communities that would benefit from a post development or your post needs help with revitalization, please read the New Post Start-Up and contact your regional membership liaison to discuss ways to accomplish this task.